Feeding apparatus for tubes,rods and the like



March 25, 1969 R w so 3,434,610

G PP us FOR T B ARAT S IKE Filed Aug. 5, 1967 I ll 23 1| 22 I V Q31 0 "Winn" FIG! ATTORNEYS March 25, 1969 R. WILSO N 3,434,610

I FEEDING APPARATUS FOR TUBES, RODS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 3, 1967 Sheet 3 of 4 HUM! "Him" INVENTOR. RONALD WILSON ATTORNEYS FIG.2

March 25, 1969 w so 3,434,610

FEEDING APPARATUS FOR TUBES, RODS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 5, 1967 Sheet 5 of 4 &

INVENTOR. RONALD WILSON ATTORNEYS FIG.4 B

R. WILSON March 25, 1969 I Sheet 4 0194 Filed Aug. 5, 1967 I LO I 0' i u. I

I I w INVENTOR.

RONALD WILSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 214-339 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A feeding apparatus for tubes, rods and the like in which the work is longitudinally advanced by its frictional contact with a rotating wheel which may permit the work to be neutral to advancement by contacting the work in a plane of rotation which is at right angles to the axis of the length of the work whereby the work is rotated but is not fed in either direction or which may be angled to either side of such plane so as to feed the work in either direction either with or without rotation.

Background of the invention Feeding devices such as those used for centerless grinders, polishing machines, heat treating, ultrasonic inspection and the like have usually had a supporting and dry roll which was driven by a flexible shaft and could he angled with respect to the axis of the desired direction of feed of the work a small amount so as to give a slow drive of the work axially of the work, the limits of inclination of the feed roll being governed by that permitted of a drive by the flexibility of the shaft. Thus, heretofore the limits of speed of feeding have been dependent upon the small amount of angularity which Could be had of the feed roll.

Summary of the invention The supporting and feed rolls of this invention are such that each may be moved without limit about an axis to vary the angularity of the plane of rotation of the drive roll which contacts the work, the drive being by bevel gears as distinguished from a flexible shaft.

Brief description the drawings FIG. 1 is an end view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a fragmental portion;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of fragmental portions of the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of one of the drive units showing its contact with the work; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmental view largely schematic showing a pair of drive units somewhat differently arranged and therefore a modification of the showing of FIGS. 1 to 4.

Description 0 the preferred embodiments With reference to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1 to 3, l0 designates each of a pair of upright frames spaced a suitable distance apart and tied together with a pair of spaced I beams 11 (FIG. 3, one only showing) extending between them at their lower portions. A channel iron 12 (FIG. I) mounted on the top of these frames ties the frames together at their upper portions and also serves as a means for fixedly mounting on brackets 13 a plurality of guide rolls 14 at certain spaced distances lengthwise of the apparatus (FIG. 2). On each frame a guide 15 at a 45 angle to the horizontal is provided which serves to guidably mount one of the end members 17 of a carriage 18. The guide has rack teeth 16 which are engaged by a pinion (not shown) for moving the end members 17 on guide 15. These carriage end members are tied together by angle irons 19 and 20 which serve to mount a plurality of friction drive units about which this invention centers.

Rack bars 21 are slidably mounted in the carriage end members 18 and are equipped with brackets 22 and tied together by channel irons 23 to mount the guide rolls 24 by means of brackets 25, Suitable racks and pinions are mounted in the carriage 18 so that as the friction drive units 30 are lowered along rack 16 by hand wheel 26 to accommodate work of larger diameter, the guide rolls 24 will be moved outwardly and upwardly a corresponding distance by the racks 21 moving upwardly to provide accurate centering of the work by guide rolls 14, 24 and the friction drive unit 30.

The general arrangement of the apparatus so far described is not a part of this invention but a setting for it which involves the friction drive units 30 now to be explained in greater detail.

The drive units 30 are located substantially midway between opposite pairs of guide rolls 14 and 24 as seen from the projected views FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 and are shown in greater detail in FIG. 4. A bracket 31 mounts the base 32 which swivelly mounts the carrier 33 on roller bearings 34. This carrier is recessed as at 35 and receives a drive shaft 36 therein which is mounted by roller bearings 37 and 38 in the bushing 39 which is secured by means of bolts 40 to the carriage 33. The lower portion of this bushing is flanged as at 57 with an arm 58 extending radially FIGS. 1 and 2 and secured to an angle iron bar 59 connecting all of the units together. A bevel gear 41 is keyed as at 42 to the reduced upper end of this shaft 36 and drives the bevel gear 43 keyed to the driven shaft 44 mounted by ball bearings 45 and 46 in the carriage 33. This driven shaft 44 drives the hub 47 with friction wheel 48 mounted thereon which contacts the work W. The point of contact 60' with the work is the projected axis of the drive shaft 36. Friction wheel 48 is secured to hub 47 by a plate 49 and screws 50. The hub is secured to the driven shaft by the nut 51. A stub shaft 52 is keyed as at 53 to the drive shaft 36 and is driven through suitable gears in housing 55 from a shaft 56 which serves to drive the other like units spaced along the length of the apparatus. Lengthwise movement of the bar 59 pivots the units about the axis of the drive shaft 36 so as to vary the plane of rotation of the wheel at contact point 60 so that the rotation of the friction wheel 48 may be either in a plane at right angles to the axis of the work when no forward or longitudinal drive in either direction will occur or at an inclination to the plane at right angles to the work so that a drive may occur in one direction or the other depending upon the angle which the drive wheel is swung relative to the longitudinal extent of the work. Further the work may be driven longitudinally without rotation.

In some cases instead of having a single drive wheel, there may be two drive wheels as shown in FIG. 5 arranged at equal angles to the horizontal and contacting the work at two different points. In this case the drive wheels will be driven in opposite directions in unison and may be angled by rack bars (similar to bars 59) engaging gear teeth 66 on flange 57 of the carriage. In this case it will of course be apparent that rack bars 65 will be operated in unison to adjust the inclination of the friction drive wheels.

I claim:

-1. In a feeding apparatus for tubes, rods and the like, friction drive means for contacting the work comprising a drive shaft, a driven shaft, a drive wheel secured to said driven shaft, means mounting the driven shaft and wheel so that the axis of the shaft passes through the the axis of the work and the drive wheel contacts the work on the axis of the drive shaft, means to drive the driven shaft from the drive shaft, and means to rotate the mounting means about the axis of the drive shaft to control the feed of the work contacted by the drive wheel whereby in a first position said means will serve to rotate the Work without longitudinal travel and in a second position will longitudinally travel the work without rotation of the work and in positions intermediate said first and second positions will rotate and travel the work.

2. In a feeding apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the axis of the drive shaft and the axis of the driven shaft are in the same plane but at acute angles to each other.

3. In a feeding apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the axis of the drive shaft and the axis of the driven shaft are in the same plane but at acute angles to each other and bevel gears serve as the drive between said shafts.

4. In a feeding apparatus as in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of friction drive means for contacting the work.

5. In a feeding apparatus as in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of friction drive means for contacting the work and the means to rotate the mounting means of said plurality are connected together for simultaneous operation.

6. In a feeding apparatus as in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of pairs of friction drive means tfOI contacting the work.

7. In a feeding apparatus for tubes, rods and the like, friction drive means for contacting the work, said drive means comprising a wheel contacting the work and mounted to revolve through more than 90 about an axis passing through the point of contact of the wheel and work and the axis of the work and said drive means including a drive for said wheel whereby in a first position said means will serve to rotate the work without longitudinal travel and in a second position will longitudinally travel the work without rotation of the Work and in positions intermediate said first and second positions will rotate and travel the work.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,795,320 6/1957 Dillingham 214-339 HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 51-79 

